What it takes to run a hit restaurant in a town of 1,000

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By Julien Perry | The Prep

When James Beard-nominated chef Mike Easton left Seattle in 2022 to open a tiny pasta spot in historic Waitsburg, Wash., it raised eyebrows. But Bar Bacetto quickly racked up accolades—a New York Times Best Restaurant nod in 2023 and a James Beard finalist award for Best New Restaurant in 2024.

What’s it like to operate a destination restaurant with one of the hardest reservations to get—in the entire state? We chatted with Easton to find out.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face running Bar Bacetto from an operational standpoint?  

I think staffing and sourcing were probably the biggest hurdles to overcome.

I had to wheel and deal to convince one of my produce purveyors, who made regular runs out to Seattle, to pick up my finer Italian goods from my old Seattle distributor because there was no other way to get those ingredients out to this side of the state. But on the flip side, I know all my local farmers by first name, and the produce out here is beautiful and abundant, so it balances itself out. 

Staffing is an issue no matter where you run a restaurant, but less population means a much smaller pool of people who are available.

I imagine your location has its own set of challenges. How has being a destination restaurant helped/hurt your business? 

It took us a little while to learn how to make it work for us. Originally, we wanted to be a really casual place, with no reservations, just first-come, first-served. We quickly learned that people out here don't want to drive 30 minutes out of the way [from Walla Walla] without a guarantee that they are going to get a seat—especially because there are few other options if we are completely full. So, we had to switch to 100% reservation, which is good and bad. The good part is that our nights are mostly consistent. The bad part is that when you have last-minute cancellations, you often struggle to fill them. 

What advice do you have for anyone looking to branch out on their own and open their own sweetheart space?

You must love to work, because there will be no shortage of it. 

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The Prep is written by Julien Perry and edited by Lesley McKenzie.